Enrollment
438
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Carlsbad, NM
Sunset Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sunset Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 58/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 350030000175
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 88
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sunset Elementary earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of New Mexico schools.
- #3 of 5
- elementary schools in Carlsbad · Resource Index
- 58
- Resource Index · Higher
- 20.9:1
- large classes for New Mexico
- 26.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Sunset Elementary has class sizes larger than 95% of New Mexico schools. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sunset Elementary ranks #3 of 5 elementary schools in Carlsbad, NM.
School address
District: Carlsbad Municipal Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350030000175 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.9:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
+49% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
26.1%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
-68% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sunset Elementary compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sunset Elementary
Sunset Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Carlsbad, New Mexico, enrolling 438 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.9:1 is larger than about 95% of New Mexico schools and 49% above the 14:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 26.1% free-meal eligibility runs 68% below the New Mexico average.
Enrollment of 438 puts it in the larger third of New Mexico schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 867 scored New Mexico schools.
Among 61 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Mexico schools statewide, it ranks #3, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (72%) and White (25%) (diversity index 42/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 5.0% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Carlsbad Municipal Schools spends $10,509 per pupil, 37% below the New Mexico average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Carlsbad Municipal Schools also operates Carlsbad High (1,685 students) and Carlsbad Intermediate School - Pr Leyva Campus (908 students) alongside Sunset Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Sunset Elementary compares
Sunset Elementary on the metrics families compare, against New Mexico and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Mexico | New Mexico avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.9:1 | ▲ 49% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 26.1% | ▼ 68% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 438 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.9:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
438
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
26.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 68% below the New Mexico average of 80.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20.9:1
students per teacher
- 49% above state mean
Top 95% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
5.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$10,509
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Mexico avg of $16,652
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 72.1%
White 24.7%
African American 1.1%
Two or More 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 72.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 41.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 41.9, Sunset Elementary is more mixed than the New Mexico school average of 39.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Carlsbad Municipal Schools, which includes Sunset Elementary.
$10,509
Per student
-37%
vs New Mexico
Avg $16,652
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.9%
State 41.9%
Federal 7.3%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Sunset Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carlsbad Intermediate School - Pr Leyva Campus | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carlsbad Sixth Grade Academy - Alta Vista Campus | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cottonwood Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Desert Willow Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sunset Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,685
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 908
- Students per teacher
- 25.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 740
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 684
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 667
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 65/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New Mexico, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~438 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sunset Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Sunset Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Carlsbad Municipal Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Sunset Elementary
How many students attend Sunset Elementary?
Sunset Elementary has 438 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Carlsbad, NM.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sunset Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sunset Elementary is 20.9:1, which is 49% higher than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 33% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sunset Elementary?
26.1% of students at Sunset Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sunset Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sunset Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 72.1% of enrollment, in Carlsbad, NM.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sunset Elementary?
Sunset Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 58/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Sunset Elementary rank among elementary schools in Carlsbad?
By Resource Investment Index, Sunset Elementary ranks #3 of 5 elementary schools in Carlsbad, NM. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Carlsbad on the city page.
Is Sunset Elementary a good school?
Sunset Elementary earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of New Mexico schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Carlsbad Municipal Schools?
Besides Sunset Elementary, Carlsbad Municipal Schools also operates Carlsbad High (1,685 students), Carlsbad Intermediate School - Pr Leyva Campus (908 students), and Carlsbad Sixth Grade Academy - Alta Vista Campus (740 students). See the Carlsbad Municipal Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.